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Vital Signs 2019 Vital Signs MK is an annual publication designed to round up the most current research on the communities of Milton Keynes and present it in an easy-to-read format. Vital Signs categories help us to highlight our strengths and point to the challenges that we face in Milton Keynes. Inevitably, there are areas that overlap and affect one another. This report asks how can we can all work together to support, inspire and lead our local communities. To download this year’s Vital Signs Report as well as an extended version with many more statistics and links to all of the sources of the original research, visit: mkcommunityfoundation.co.uk.
Strong Communities
Vital Signs 2019 Strong communities questions the things about a locality that affect
its community cohesion, the level of engagement of residents and
how well connected people are to one another.
Milton Keynes is one of the fastest growing places in the UK and
looks set to continue to grow just as quickly as the Oxford – Milton
Keynes – Cambridge growth corridor develops. With growth comes the
continued challenge of how to develop strong communities in rapidly
growing and changing environments.
Photo by Big Local Conniburrow
Vital Thinking
• Communities are still feeling the effects of austerity, with cuts Vital Action
to local services still affecting many across Milton Keynes.
BLC (Big Local Conniburrow) is one of 150 areas in the
• How much more will be asked of local communities to meet these UK that received just over £1,000,000 of funding from
unmet needs? the National Lottery Community Fund. The idea behind
• How well connected, supported and engaged are our citizens the project was to mobilise the community to come
to meet these challenges? together and decide how to spend the money to improve
their community. MK Community Foundation is the
• How can umbrella bodies support our voluntary, community and
local trusted organisation that manages the funds over
cultural sector to build sustainable funding strategies which
the 10 year period of the project. Community Action
support volunteering and community development?
MK have been brought onboard to help to share their
skills in community development. They identified a skills
gap when local people were applying for job roles as
Vital Statistics Community Mobilisers, so they decided to set up a mentor
programme so local people could learn skills in community
development within their own community.
What is Vital Signs? 32% Ultrafast
Throughout this report there will be mention of ‘The Survey’;
broadband
Vital Signs MK is an annual publication designed to round up and penetration
this refers to the 2019 survey conducted by Milton Keynes
highlight the most current research on the communities of Milton
Keynes and present it in an easy-to-read format. Community Foundation of 205 people living in Milton Keynes, 32% making us the worst
connected city in
to find out what they think and to have a say about different 268,607 estimated
This year’s publication focuses on 11 key areas of interest within England (city average
Milton Keynes, mapping trends, highlighting our strengths and
aspects of their community. The majority of the questions in
of 56.1%), and -1,098 population of MK
the survey asked the extent to which the participant agreed (mid-2018)
identifying challenges we face. The full Vital Signs report that or disagreed with a number of given statements about
second worst in UK
-1,098 flow of young people in
covers all themes as this one does, is published every three years.
During the years in between, a shorter Vital Signs Update report
Milton Keynes, across the thematic areas. MK (age 15- 19) largest 5-year 268,607
age group flow of internal
is published, looking at fewer themes.
Who are MK Community Foundation? migration (in residential moves
This year, the report looks at: Strong Communities, Work & the between MK and other UK
Economy, Education, Diversity, Disadvantage & Poverty, Housing, Milton Keynes Community Foundation is an independent
Local Authorities)
Crime & Safety, Health & Wellbeing, Transport, The Local
Environment and Arts & Heritage.
grant-making charity working for and at the heart of Milton
Keynes, with over 33 years’ experience of connecting people and
7%
resources to projects to create positive changes in our community.
You can download this report, as well as an extended version
Our vision is for a thriving Milton Keynes where everyone is 1,314 active local
with many more statistics included, on our website at
www.mkcommunityfoundation.co.uk/about/vital-signs-2019/ contributing to their community; achieved through supporting 1,314 voluntary sector
The extended version of this report contains links to all of the the growth and development of our local voluntary, community organisations in
original research and sources. and cultural sector, inspiring our communities to give through
philanthropy and other social action, and leading in connecting 7% decrease in public spending
MK*
90%
You can also access copies of Vital Signs Reports from previous and growing sustainable communities. in MK, vs national average for
years on our website. The ‘Vital Signs’ movement is used widely UK cities of 14% decrease 22% of people in
across the UK, with other Community Foundations taking part in (2009/10 to 2017/18) England report 90% of local Voluntary,
their own local research. You can see some examples of these by volunteering Community and Cultural
visiting www.ukcommunityfoundations.org.
22% formally at least
once a month
Sector organisations in MK are
supported by volunteering
*Records held by Community Action: MK
2 | MK Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 | 3
Work and the Economy
Vital Statistics
£
£1,540.50 137,000
137,000 people in
MK are employed
£1,540.50 difference in annual earnings between the
National Living Wage and Living Wage Foundation
Living Wage (based on 37.5 hours a week)
This year we have decided to join the vital signs areas of Work Vital Thinking
and the Economy as they are so intrinsically linked.
• Is the local workforce flexible and does it have enough mix of 1.7%
The economy includes the production and consumption of goods skills allowing it to adapt as business needs change? JOBS
and services and the supply of money in the local area. Work in this
context is paid employment. It does not include voluntary work,
• It is predicted that many employment opportunities that our 4%
children will face when they enter the workforce don’t yet exist. 1.7% total economic output of
unpaid caring duties or other forms of activity that produce goods
such as hobbies. • How will the uncertainty regarding our relationship with the MK measured in terms of annual
EU affect our local economy? 4% unemployment in GVA (Gross Value Added) rose
A high level of paid employment opportunities provides an
indication of a healthy and vibrant city. Milton Keynes has long • How can we encourage more employers to pay the National MK – same as for 2018 1.7% to the first quarter of 2019
been recognised as an entrepreneurial city, with the number of Foundation’s actual living wage? (4th in the UK)
new start-up businesses recorded as one of the highest in the UK. • How can we, as a community, support women to have equal
opportunities in the workplace?
£ £1.28
5th MK has the 5th
highest business
start-up rate (in
Vital Action 2016 MK was 3rd)
MK Community Foundation funded £4,632 for
‘The Work Life Project’ which is a series of workshops
and talks for young women, run by MK Gallery. The
project supports them to discover how they can develop Male Full-time workers in
Female full-time workers
their skills and contribute to the creative industry, run MK earn £1.28 per hour more
by MK Gallery. The project aims to improve access to
in MK earn £0.37 per hour
creative industries for BAME women and women from
£ more than the National
than the National average
disadvantaged backgrounds by supporting participants average
to develop the skills and confidence to pursue a creative
career. Activities have included workshops facilitated
by ‘Of Our Own’ and Conde Nast College of Fashion and £0.37
Design, which raised awareness of career, education and
work experience opportunities.
Photo by ©Jam Patel
4 | MK Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 | 5
Education Diversity
This section covers learning in its traditional forms, starting Under the equality and diversity legislation in the UK, there are nine
with formal education in schools, colleges and universities and protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, race
apprenticeships. (including ethnic or national origin, colour, or nationality), religion
or belief (including lack of belief), sex, sexual orientation, marriage &
A well skilled and educated population is needed to meet the
civil partnership and pregnancy & maternity.
challenges of a growing workforce. On a personal level, being able
to reach your potential contributes to a sense of wellbeing and We last reported on diversity in Milton Keynes in our 2018 Vital Signs
satisfaction. report. Unfortunately, it remains the case that it is a challenge to get up
to date data across all the protected characteristics.
Vital Thinking Data remains elusive between census years on race and ethnicity, and Photo by Karen Kodesh
• One of the main concerns for MK is the growing and challenging there (at the time of writing this report) is a lack of the same level of
need for provision, starting with nursery places. How do we detail in the January 2019 school census compared with the 2018 data.
address this? Vital Action
• The standard of school education is good up to Key stage 3 (up to Vital Thinking MK Community Foundation are delighted to award
The Stables Theatre in Milton Keynes a Large Strategic
the age of 14years) but drops at Key Stage 4 (14 – 16 years) and • What can we learn in the voluntary, community and cultural sector
A Levels (16 – 18 years) when Milton Keynes is below the national Vital Action about the experiences that marginalised communities report about
Grant of £95,000. The grant, which will be awarded over
two years, will be used to fund an extensive programme
(England) average. MK Community Foundation has funded Shenley Brook accessing services?
designed to enhance the organisation’s approach
• There is a correlation explored in more depth in the long report End School £15,000 to deliver the training of teachers in • How do we ensure Milton Keynes is accessible, open, and welcoming to working with deaf and disabled communities as
between school exclusions and offending rates. How can we as a Leadership, Equality & Diversity, at the Training Centre; to all its communities, whatever their background, experience, or participants, audience members and performers.
community support these young people? supporting teachers from BME backgrounds to ensure identities?
positive outcomes for students from BME/ disadvantaged The Stables will work with national accessibility and
• How can we as a community address the relatively low take up backgrounds. Outcomes of the training they offer include: • How can we meet MK’s Creative & Cultural Strategy 2018-2023 that disability specialists including Attitude is Everything and
of apprenticeships and a potential skills gap as the number of developing one’s own leadership style, increased self- states that we should: “ensure our cultural venues and programmes Graeae Theatre Company to create a bespoke training
jobs, and the nature of employment, changes with the growth in awareness and interpersonal skills, increased confidence are disability compliant, removing barriers and actively welcoming programme for The Stables’ staff and its 200-strong
technology? to progress in one’s career and gaining a better people from all backgrounds through accessible education volunteer base. It will also open up sessions to the wider
• It has been identified that this is an issue that needs to be tackled understanding of diversity issues. programmes”? cultural sector.
in schools and there are currently several collaborations between
business and educational establishments: for instance the
development of the new MK:U (Milton Keynes University) being
supported by Santander and the new institute of digital technology, Vital Statistics
a collaboration of MK College, Bletchley Park and Microsoft.
3
Vital Statistics 38 is the median* age
38 in MK (mid-2018)
3 new schools
years 1 in 4
were opened in 1 in 4 LGBT people report a lack of
552 shortfall in MK in 2018 understanding of their needs from
552 free childcare
places for 2-year
healthcare professionals when
accessing services in Britain
11% olds in MK
11% of pupils “achieving at a
higher standard” compared 39% 35% 84 84 Syrian refugees
to 10% across England
have been settled in
MK since we joined 39 39 (per 1,000) MK has a higher than
(attainment in Reading, the settlement
Writing and Maths at average number of children with
39% of Key Stage 4 students 35% lower take up of scheme in 2015
primary school level) moderate learning difficulties known
(between 14 - 16 Years old) in Apprenticeships in MK to schools (England 29 per 1,000)
MK achieved grade 5 or above in 2017/2018 (actual
in Maths and English 2018 number is 530 lower)
(England Average 40%) *Median – The middle value of a set of dates when the figures are written in order
6 | MK Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 | 7
Disadvantage and Poverty
Vital Statistics
1 in 3
48%
48% of Citizens Advice clients from
Poverty is when one’s resources do not meet one’s minimum Vital Thinking 2018/19 were in paid employment,
need. There is no single measure of poverty, but the UK which is their highest rate to date
• Unfortunately, the trend that Milton Keynes has seen
governments’ definition of relative poverty is those whose Just under 1 in 3 Children
through the 2010s continues, and we report worsening
income is less than 60% of the median* income after household in MK live in poverty
statistics across child poverty putting pressure on local
costs, relative to that household’s size. This is also the definition (31%), and as high as 50%
services and more importantly on communities and families.
used by End Child Poverty, whose local statistics for Milton in some wards
Keynes are cited in this section of the report. • Almost half the clients seeking advice from Citizens Advice
Milton Keynes last year were in paid employment. What is
Last year, we also reported on homelessness under this theme —
causing this and what help can we offer as a community?
this year, an update on our findings in this area can be found under
the Housing section of this report. • What does this say about the pressures working families are
facing? Are high rents and unprotected tenancies causing
working families to slip into poverty?
12,700 food parcels given
12,700 in 2018 by MK Food Bank.
(10% increase in demand
compared to 2017)
Vital Action
MK Community Foundation have recently funded £4,979 for the
Fun in School Holidays (FISH) which is a programme run by Service
Six that provides activity sessions throughout the summer holiday
48 48 tonnes of quality food diverted (from
going to waste) at the Community Fridge in
tonnes
for children whose families would otherwise not be able go on Wolverton between July 2017 and July 2019
holiday or provide other activities. The programme provides a safe (16 tonnes in year 1 and 32 tonnes in year 2)
space over the six weeks, where young people can take part in
sport, education, recreation and personal development activities, “There is no single measure of
make friends, grow skills, and get a healthy meal each day. poverty, but the UK governments’
MK Community Foundation have also supported Citizens Advice definition of relative poverty is
Milton Keynes with £20,763 to fund The Mix Development and those whose income is less than
Sustainability project that will enable The Mix to enter into a
productive relationship with Citizens Advice to help provide 60% of the median* income after
strong governance, business development, fundraising and household costs, relative to that
support with recruitment and selection of volunteers.
Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.
household’s size.”
*Median – The middle value of a set of dates when the figures are written in order
8 | MK Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 | 9
Housing Crime and Safety
Last time we focussed on Housing in the Vital Signs report of 2016, This theme looks at local and national trends in crime from Home
we noted trends around the increase in house prices, the decreasing Office and police data.
rates of home ownership, and the increasing rates of homelessness,
Vital Action
In light of recent reports across national media on the increasing levels
both in terms of visible rough sleeping, and less visible numbers of YMCA MK is the
of hate crime (largely credited to higher reporting rates and the political
families in temporary accommodation. main provider of
climate post EU Referendum and 2017 terror attacks), we report
supported housing
Our findings in this report show many of these trends continuing. how this is reflected locally. There are some mixed results across the
to young people
Homelessness is perhaps one exception to this, with indicators showing different types of hate crimes.
in Milton Keynes.
that some reported rates are slightly less now than when we reported in Milton Keynes We also update on the rates of domestic abuse and other trends that
Vital Signs 2018’s report in Disadvantage and Poverty. Those rates are, Community we reported on when we last covered this theme in the Vital Signs MK
Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash
however, often still higher than they were just a few years ago, and we Foundation has 2017 report.
need to monitor this to see if a general downward trend continues in the awarded a grant
years to come. of £27,921 to YMCA MK fund the development of a space Vital Thinking Vital Action
With the cost of housing a significant factor in the rates of families dedicated to mental health well-being within their new • How can we support the diverse communities in Milton Keynes MK Community Foundation have supported Thames
living in poverty, any increase in the cost of living in Milton Keynes will modern campus in Central Milton Keynes which is due to to feel safe? Valley Partnership with £5,000 for the New Leaf Project
continue to be of importance. open shortly. YMCA MK said: where volunteers provide support and mentoring for
• The drop in burglaries (domestic) is welcome, but we must be adult offenders released from prison who settle in Milton
“The suite, which has access to a rooftop garden, will provide cognisant of other forms of crime that may be harder to quantify
Vital Thinking a private, tranquil space for young people to access one-to- Keynes. Volunteer mentors support them “through the
(e.g. cybercrime) where data is harder to produce. gate”, providing advocacy through probation meetings
• With the average house price at £302,700 needing a deposit of one counselling. 70% of the young people who come to the
YMCA have mental health issues, with the most common • How can we support our security agencies to help them keep our and other appointments, and support them to meet their
£30,000, it is not surprising that many young people are living with goals for rehabilitation in the community for a minimum
being depression and anxiety. Providing mental health communities safer?
their parents or guardians to maybe either save money or avoid high of 12 weeks after release. Mentoring support of this
rental prices. What impact does this have on aging households? support in a safe, confidential environment will enable us to • The recorded rise in domestic crime is alarming; how can we as a
tackle the deep-seated issues many of our residents face, nature has been shown to reduce reoffending and improve
community shed light on the issues so actions can be developed to
• What happens to those people in MK who do not have family support? ensuring they are equipped to access our other support community safety. You can find out more about the project
start to address this issue?
What can we do as a community to influence affordable housing services and make a positive change in their life.” at www.newleafproject.co.uk.
stock and social housing to make sure the most vulnerable people are
protected ?
Vital Statistics 999
Vital Statistics 6% £302,700
6% increase in average house
8% increase in recorded 12% increase in recorded
price 2017 to 2018 (5th
crime between August 2018
highest rate for a UK city) £302,700 is the
average house
8% and July 2019 in MK according 12%
domestic crime occurrences
which meet the national definition
to TVP (Thames Valley Police) of “domestic abuse” between
price in MK in
1 in 117 2017/18 and 2018/19 (28%
2018
increase in domestic crimes that
1 in 117 people in don’t meet the abuse definition)
MK are homeless
(1 in 110 in 2018)
18% 42% -23% decrease from
7% increase in racially or August 2018 – July
9.75x average 18% increase in proportion of 7%
religiously aggravated
crime between 2017/18
23% 2019 in burglary
both dwelling and
salary is the cost of adults in MK living in the private 42% of income of a and 2018/19
9.75x an average house in rented sector 2001-2018 family in the lowest
non-dwellings
MK (9.77 x average quartile would be spent
salary for UK cities) on the average private
rent in MK 17% increase in
41 rough sleeper count in
-10.6% decrease from
MK for Autumn 2018 17% overall hate crime in
10.6%
41 England and Wales between
2016/17 and 2018/19
August 2018 – July 2019 in
bike theft (649 in total)
10 | MK Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 | 11
Health and Wellbeing
“Nationally, young people and older people
Vital Statistics are getting lonelier, with 9 million people
(including 40% of young people) saying they
feel lonely often or very often.”
21%
Of adults from the MK
communities in the 10%
The percentage of most deprived areas are
children between 10-11 inactive, compared with
years old in Milton Keynes 19.9% for those in the
are obese 10% least deprived areas
Health and Wellbeing is a broad category that includes the Vital Thinking
physical and mental health of local people and the factors that
affect their wellbeing.
• How do we address the challenge of getting our young
people to be more physically active?
33%
The survey questions on this theme investigated the activities
and services in Milton Keynes that support residents’ health and • How do we nurture positive attitudes around physical
wellbeing, including quality and availability. activity in young people that will improve the likelihood of
them remaining physically active throughout their lives?
As well as exploring some of the trends we regularly review in this MK adults reach
category, this year we look at physical activity and loneliness - two • How can we, as a community, capitalise on our European City
recommended 150 minutes
big predictors of lifelong health and wellbeing that can be greatly of Sport 2020 status in getting residents engaged and active?
moderate to vigorous
affected by one’s ability to access their local community. • In an ever-connected society why are 1 in 4 people in our physical activity per
Nationally, young people and older people are getting lonelier, with community feeling lonely and how should we address this? week (higher than England
9 million people (including 40% of young people) saying they feel average of 62.6%)
lonely often or very often. Local data on loneliness is sparse, though
we have some idea of the areas and demographics at most risk.
Locally and nationally, deprived and marginalised communities are
less likely to be physically active. 66%
Vital Action
Through the Tampon Tax Community Fund*, this year we
supported All People Active CIC with £8,150 to deliver
the Us Girls Get Active programme, which aims to engage
with women and girls in Milton Keynes, particularly 32%
teenagers, young mums, and families, to develop physical
activity programmes which meet their needs and reduce
the barriers that they may otherwise face to living healthy
active lifestyles. Participants contribute to the design of Milton Keynes 1 in 4
programmes that fit their interest and lifestyles, whether children are “inactive”
that is through dance, yoga, fitness classes or sports. (partaking in less than
Find out more about All People Active on Twitter and 30 minutes physical
Instagram @AllPeopleActive or go to allpeopleactive.com. activity per day) Out of the 205
respondents to our Vital
Signs 2019 Survey, agreed
*Tampon Tax Community Fund - a fund generated from
that they often feel lonely
the VAT on sanitary products to go towards projects to
for long periods
improve the lives of disadvantaged women and girls.
12 | MK Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 | 13
Transport The Local Environment
The theme of transport was added to Vital Signs MK in 2016. The environment refers to the natural or built environment of
Robust and sufficient transport infrastructure is critically important to our community, including its design and architecture, agricultural
the functioning of any economy, and the availability and accessibility activities, green spaces, and waterways. It also includes the extent
of transportation greatly impacts the range of goods and services that to which the air is clean from pollution, how well we engage in
the public can access. By ensuring that an effective and affordable recycling and ‘going green’, and how well-maintained we feel our
public transportation system is available, a community can provide public spaces are.
the means for low-income residents to fully engage with the services,
employment, education and other opportunities they need. Vital Thinking
• MK is often thought of as a green city but are we doing enough to
Vital Thinking Photo by Ant Rozetsky on Unsplash
encourage and incentivise the use of our Redways and growing
• MK is at the forefront of many innovations in transport, including infrastructure for electric cars?
Photo by Future Wolverton
autonomous vehicles such as the Star Ship delivery pods and testing • With Milton Keynes set to grow, with the Cambridge-Milton
of driverless cars, and multiple options for green bike share schemes Vital Action Keynes-Oxford Arc bringing more people and commuters to the
now available with Santander and Lime bikes. However, we have The Bus Users Group were supported by the MK city, access and participation in healthy and green ways of getting Vital Action
collated data that shows that Milton Keynes has more to do to Community Foundation who provided conferencing around will be important to ensure the sustainability, health, and MK Community Foundation have supported MK Christian
ensure that we improve provision and use of public transport and facilities free of charge for a debate about driverless wellbeing of our communities. What can we do to promote this as Foundation with £4,000 for the ‘Urban Bee-lievers’ project
reduce our reliance on transport that pollutes. vehicles. a community? at the Urb Farm in Wolverton that supports young people
• How can we do more to ensure that we improve provision and use of The Bus Users Group work to make public transport • How can we maximise the opportunities this provides for our to learn about bee-keeping, how to produce, market and
public transport and reduce our reliance on transport that pollutes? inclusive and accessible, while promoting high standards community? sell honey and beeswax wraps as well as bee-friendly
of transport planning and delivery. The organisation also products like seed bombs and bee houses. This project
raises awareness of the effects transport poverty has on supports young people to gain valuable skills and Milton
loneliness, isolation and social exclusion. Keynes residents can learn about the amazing life of bees
and take action to slow their decline.
Vital Statistics
Vital Statistics 6% 2nd best City in the UK 44%
6% of the MK
population travel by bus 2nd for proportion of waste
sent for reuse, recycling
or composting (52%) 44% of CO2
emissions in
MK come from
54% transport
6% (UK is 34%)
Expected increase of 54%
in morning peak travel times 5
over the next decade 5 tons of CO2 emissions
5 per capita in 2017 (41st
worst out of 46 cities) 5 tons of litter cleaned up
from Parks Trust land in
6% of the population of just one week in summer
743 road casualties in 2018
MK use low emission
transport (25th worst
out of 42 UK cities)
743 2018 in MK, continuing
a downward trend, as in
England and Wales
14 | MK Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 | 15
Arts and Heritage
Vital Statistics
£665,626
£665,626 invested in
MK by Arts Council
England between
2015 and 2019
As in our last report in 2016, it is difficult to gather specific statistics Vital Thinking 69% Arts engagement
around activity, engagement, and impact of arts and heritage,
• Last year we reported on the significant contribution in MK, compared with
particularly on a more localised level. However, the cultural sector
in Milton Keynes is still active and appears to be thriving, with
that cultural and creative organisations make to the local 69% 74.1% in the South East
economy. With cuts to statutory arts education, it has fallen
the newly expanded MK Gallery opening its doors in March this
to arts organisations to provide sessions of arts education
year. The International Festival, that MK Community Foundation
rather than it being embedded within the curriculum.
supported, delivered nearly 300 performances across MK last
summer, selling 14,000 tickets and seeing 60,000 free attendances. • Will this lack of statutory arts education affect our
workforce and our economy? How can we make sure
Some of our local arts and culture providers have shared with
us some of their own statistics as well as providing us with
our local arts organisations can remain supported and
sustainable?
19%
some guidance as to what they think are the pressing issues for
engagement with the arts in Milton Keynes, from placemaking • Do we need a better understanding of the importance 44%
(the process of creating quality places that people want to live, of creativity for many areas of life including work and
work, play and learn in) to education. wellbeing?
19% of MK adults
participated in dance
(2015 / 2017) –
England 21%
Vital Action
44% of MK adults attended a
In 2019 MK Community Foundation funded
museum or gallery (2015 / 2017)
MÓTUS £5,000 for ‘Fluid in Flight’ part of
– England 47%
a ten-week festival/dance programme. The
MÓTUS team, working in partnership with the
Milton Keynes Theatre, created the opportunity
for over 500 young people to be involved
in an intensive 2-and-a-half-day workshop “The cultural sector in Milton Keynes is still active
working from concept to performance with 10
professional choreographers in a professional and appears to be thriving, with the newly expanded
theatre. ‘Fluid in Flight’ was the last MK Gallery opening its doors in March this year.
performance of the festival/dance programme The International Festival, that MK Community
‘Journeys’ that focused on increasing the reach
of dance throughout Milton Keynes, with Foundation supported, delivered nearly 300
inclusivity and accessibility at its heart. performances across MK last summer, selling
Photo by Jane Russell
14,000 tickets and seeing 60,000 free attendances.”
16 | MK Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 | 17
Vital Signs 2019
Looking Ahead
Across all 11 themes, the Vital Signs 2019 report describes
an often vibrant, dynamically changing, but sometimes
extremely challenging picture of our community in Milton
Keynes.
However, it is essential that Vital Signs 2019 is not seen
as a one-off piece of insight that generates short-term
interest and comment but does not change or impact our
communities.
During the remainder of 2019 and into 2020, MK Community
Foundation will be examining and highlighting several Vital
Signs themes in more detail; in particular, we will be looking
for insightful answers and potential solutions focused on
some of the more challenging aspects of this year’s report.
We will be facilitating Vital Thinking Events (face to face and
online) bringing together people with ‘lived experience’ and
specialists from across our communities and beyond.
We aim to explore solutions and identify potential policy,
practice and behaviour changes which will make a real
positive difference to the lives of the people of Milton Keynes.
If you would be interested in participating
in one of these events please email
giving@mkcommunityfoundation.co.uk
18 | MK Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019 | 19We are always looking for ways to improve and develop our
Vital Signs report, so please do not hesitate to contact us if
you would like to participate in future Vital Signs research.
Join the conversation
@
Get involved and have your say on the
findings in this Vital Signs report
Tweet your #vitalsignsMK thoughts
to @MKComFoundation
@ Send an email to
giving@mkcommunityfoundation.co.uk
Send a letter to MK Community Foundation,
Acorn House, 381 Midsummer Boulevard, MK9 3HP
Call us on 01908 690276 –We’d love to
talk more about Vital Signs with you!
mkcommunityfoundation @MKComFoundation mkcomfoundation
A special thank you to our Philanthropy Team who collated the research
presented in this report, and to our external editorial support: Dr Vasco
Fernandes and Professor Ruth Farwell CBE DL, who contributed their
time and expertise to this year’s Vital Signs.
www.mkcommunityfoundation.co.uk
Charity Registration Number 295107You can also read
